What’s It Like To Do Telehealth?

Coronavirus has forced our society to find another way to communicate when we need or want counseling. Before COVID19, my clients found a babysitter, rushed through traffic, and enjoyed coming into a beautiful office after their short wait in a quiet waiting room. These days, couples who want a marriage counseling session get their kids settled, find a private space in their own home, and log on to a laptop for their meeting with me. Often, I can only see faces and necks, whereas prior to COVID19, I was able to really tune into complete body length of non-verbal communication! However, using telehealth to have a couples’ session has been super-interesting and fruitful. All of us involved can really feel the connection across the airwaves much more than we thought we would. Eyes do so much of the work, and we see each other’s expressions quite well. 

My work with clients who do EMDR is very different as well. In my brick-and-mortar office, I am able to choose from multiple ways to provide the bilateral stimulation that is at the heart of EMDR. Sometimes that is eye movement, other times tapping on the client or using a device with alternating buzzers. When we suddenly moved to virtual therapy, I had to think quickly how to provide a seamless transition. Therapists around the world have chosen which method of bilateral stimulation works best for them; for me it is a simple metronome timer on my end, with the client tapping along on their end. I have been simply astonished at how effective this has been on traumatic events, long held attachment pain, phobias, and negative beliefs. 

With individual clients, tele-therapy provides a consistent opportunity to experience connection with a counselor in these isolated times. Many more people have higher anxiety and depression than ever before, it seems. Just a click on a link at an appointed time starts our session. Some clients are in their home, some wander out to their car to find a private place to talk, and others even take me along with them (virtually) on their walks around the neighborhood! 

Are there glitches in internet service at times? Absolutely. But overall, I am so grateful to have this solution available during this pandemic. Without it, we would all be so very alone, isolated, and helpless. If it sounds good to you, please click below to have a free, 15 minute phone consultation!